Blood pressure and pre-term labor?

Question

I am 29 weeks pregnant with my first. I went to the doctor last Wednesday and she said that my blood pressure isn't high but it isn't as low as it should be. She told me that usually when patients start having an increase in their blood pressure that they deliver early. I am worried because my blood pressure has always been normal and I don't want to have a premature baby that could have problems. I know that babies can be born early and still be healthy but I wouldn't want to risk it. Has anyone ever been told that there was a problem with their blood pressure and then carried to term and had a healthy baby? Is there anything I can do to lower my blood pressure or is it just a crazy thing beyond my control due to pregnancy? Please share your experiences with blood pressure and pregnancy with me. Is it something that I am doing wrong?

Answer 1

Preeclampsia, or pregnancy induced hypertension, are both forms of high blood pressure of varying degrees that occur with pregnancy. It is NOT related to diet like other, chronic, non-pregnancy related hypertension, and eating less salt or fat will NOT necessarily influence the course of the disease, although common sense tells us that it is a better diet for you that you should be following anyway.

The problem isn't that high blood pressure causes preterm labor, the problem is that the high blood pressure can lead to organ failures - kidney, liver, etc. - and also you could have seizures, blood clotting disorders, etc. Also, the placenta begins to fail. For these reasons, for your well being and baby's, they would choose to either induce labor if you are stable enough, or delivery via c-section if you were not stable.

You are obviously nowhere near this point yet. Your pressures might steadily and slowly rise, but you might never get to the point where you need to deliver early. There is no predicting the course of things at this point. It's usually not something that happens all over the course of a day. It's highly unusual to go in for an appointment and they are rushing to deliver you. If you were trending upward in pressures, they might admit you, check your urine for protein, draw blood labs to check for certain enzyme markers, monitor the baby to make sure everything is fine. You can be put on medications like magnesium sulfate to lower your pressures and prevent early delivery in the process.

It's a very managable condition, but there is nothing you did wrong or could do now that could prevent it from happening.

Answer 2

Its not a sign of early labor, its a sign of pre eclampsia or toxemia. Which means you have to give birth or lose the baby.

Doctors like to freak out about your blood pressure when youre pregnant. As long as its not high dont worry about it. Stay active, drink A TON of water eat ONLY fresh fruits and veggies, cut out heavy fatted meats (ground beef and pork) and cut out salt completely,and it will come right back down, or at least not go up.

Ive been there and Ive done that. Your BP can even be high at the office from laughing and carrying on in the car on the way there, or being worried in the waiting room, or because the nuse to took it made you nervous.

I have white coat syndrom, which means my BP shoots THROUGH THE ROOF in doctors offices. SCared the pants off my OB and she insisted I was sick and needed a zillion tests- all of which were fine, and i watched myself at home and my BP was fine- even when out shopping.

So as it is, remain calm. Change your diet, thats the best thing you can do.